New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11
THE RETURN or THE NITfTES.

The cool weather and approaching autumn
arc bringing home the migratory swarins that
have been scattered through the country, al
tic scashore and in the mountains, during tho
summer. Ii is, therefore, TO be expected thaI
the regular editorial articles moIalizing upon
the philosophy Of the summer vacation and
imputng imbecity 10 all who leave town
yearly, will appear. Nevertheless, there Is
room for some variation ON the theme IL
may bc true that the people who are wei OF
in the city dczcend in the scale OF comfort
when they go. to summer resort hotels, though
even that il only relatively true But Is 1t
beyond question tme that all who are willing
10 put up with some deprivation during the
summer are therefore imGecics? In the hSt
place, the comforts 10 be had mt summer re-
sorts are multiplied year by year In the
second placc, it is concci Yable that peope who
in their city homes enjoy all that The summer
hotel fails TO give, may find in the chinge a
certain flip not altogether disagre0oie'
For it has been said that there survives in
civilized man a certain "black drop OF
nomaGism and savagery, and that with the
rise of the sap this manifcsts itself in dumb
rcstlcsncss and yearning after the life OF
outdoors
Some men there are who find it impossible
to withstand this inward urging who must
when the spirit moves them be of into the
country and commune with Nature face to-
face. Like the scholar gypsy, they can only
live peacefully by alternating terms OF civili-
zation with periods Of semi-barbarism. These
are the extreme cases. but the mysterious
attraction Of nature works more or less in
every one ID is n sordid and groveling
view which seeks 10 gauge the value OF the
summer vacation by the character Of the meals
furnished or the quality OF the bedding. What
most people really need and look Tor Is
change, and chan &c not only of scene, but Of
habits. No doubt there are men and some
times even women whose desires are bounded
by brick and mortar whose pleasures are
wholly urban, and who experience wcarincss
and depression when removed from town. But
these constitute the other extreme of the line,
and between them and the few who retain so
much of the faun nature as to anguish fol-
tho Wilderness may be found the majority Of
plain and ordinary folk who. when summer
comes, want, they hardly know why, TO get
away from the houses, and who for the most
part cheerfully endure oil the discomforts OF
the change for the sake Of the genuine pleas
ere which u partial return TO shipper ways
affords them. These are they who constitute
the solid bulk of summer sojourncrs, and il
is not an unreasonable assumption that they
after all obtain full value for their outlay
Of course there is an element so artificial
80 saturated with the most materialistlc life
Of the towns, that they carry their own atmos-
phcre with them wherever they go, and find
no satisfac ton but in reproducing amid the
incongruou surroundings Of seashOre OF
mountains the amnsements and the pastimes
of the city. For these Nature has no message
or meaning. A painted landscape is to them
H,st as interesting az a real one What they
shall wear concerns them far more than what
they shall see Mean and frivolous ambitions
distract them. Rivalries beneath contempt
absorb their energies Wherever they 60
they play such fantastic tricks as must make
the judicious gricve. But they are minority
Youth and health control the summer sOiourn-
ing generally, and in a broad way insure the
operation of rational and not unwholeso ONE
taste. Most people do enjoy fine scenery and
fine air and the Opportunity 10 put of social
armor, and the relief from social hypocrisies,
and the return, even though but n little way,
toward natural mode Of living. Most people,